FURIA coach Sid sidde Macedo shared a brief comment with Players following their victory over 9z in the quarterfinals of IEM Cologne Major 2026.
You dropped the first map in the series. How did you manage to get your team to come back and close this out?
I knew we just had to keep believing and stay united as a team until the end. In a BO3, it's all about having the mentality and the right mindset, fighting until the end, and never giving up. Even in this Major, we've seen crazy comebacks with other teams playing crazy games. I knew as long as we kept playing our game as a team, anything could happen. We were able to play a very good match for us and for our fans. We just had to stay in the game.
What was the most challenging moment for you during the comeback?
I would say the start on Mirage. The first half of Mirage was very difficult for us. We were getting opening picks and then losing rounds. At one point we were losing 1:5. That was the hardest thing. But after that, we just kept fighting for every round, and that was it.
You have secured a spot in the semifinals where Aurora is already waiting. What are your thoughts on this matchup?
It's going to be a difficult game. They are very good. At this point in the Major, there are no underdogs or favorites,we are all playing on the same level. They are playing very well and have been playing their game for a long time now. I know how strong they can be. It's a 50/50 match, and anything can happen.
YEKINDAR has made the playoffs five times and lost in the first round, the last two times, he was playing for FURIA. What are your thoughts on that? Is this semifinal an opportunity for your team to take it to the next level?
For sure. We were feeling the pressure, because we had made it to the playoffs in the last two majors but couldn't win in the quarterfinals. There is definitely a little bit of pressure, but we are just here playing our best, like we did today. We are not thinking about the chances or how far we can go, we are going to go as far as our game can take us. I think we are in the same position as every other team. On Saturday, every team left will have a 25% chance to win the tournament. I'm just happy we broke through this stage.
Tomorrow is a day off. Do you think it's better to spend it on more training or more resting?
It has to be a balance, right? If we train a bit, it's good, but we also need to prepare for a long game on Saturday. There is a lot of mental pressure in these matches, so we need to be ready for anything. We are going to need time to practice, but also time to mentally prepare. So, it's going to be a little bit of both. It's definitely not a pure day off, we need to find a good balance.
